Melodeoit



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ISAAC REI-IN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IVIELODEON, &o.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 22,089, dated November 16, 1858.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Ism-xo Fin-rx, of the city and county of Fhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Melodeons, Harmonimns, and other Feed Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in melodeons and other reed instruments, in which suction bellows are used, and my improvements consist in the employment of independent wind-chests, and in a peculiar arrangement of the valves between the said chests and the bellows, and of the appliances for operating the same, all of which are fully described hereafter.

The object of my improvements is to produce, without much additional expense in the construction of the instrument, a variety of tones unattainable in melodeons or seraphines, as usually constructed.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, Figure l, is a perspective view of that part of a melodeon, to which my improvements relate; Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional view, on the line l, 2 (Fig. l) Fig. 3, a sectional view, on the line 3, et (Fig. l) Fig. 4, a sectional view, on the lines 5, 6 (Fig.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is the platform, which forms the upper portion of the suction bellows B, and to which are secured the opposite ends of the reed box C, a space D intervening between the top of the platform and the underside of the box, for the reception and operation of the keys E. The reed box C is divided,

throughout its whole length, into a series` of independent wind-chests. In the present instance, four such chests a, a, a2 and L3 are shown. More or less than this number, however, may be used, without departing from the main features of my invention. Each of the independent wind-chests communicates, through a separate opening in the platform A, with the interior of the suction bellows B, and these openings may be situated at one end only of the reed box,

although I prefer that the latter should be divided transversely by a partition midway of its length, so that the sounding of onehalf of the reeds may be accomplished by the rush of air into the bellows at one end of the instrument, and the other half by the rush of air into the bellows at the opposite end, thus allowing the performer an opportunity of controlling the higher notes independently of the lower ones and vice versa.

series of recesses e, e @2 and 63 is situated in a line transversely with the instrument, their number, viewed transversely, corresponding with the number of windchests, and, when viewed longitudinally, corresponding with the number of keys employed. Into each of the recesses is inserted the usual metal reed, those of each transverse row being so turned, as to sound the same note in diierent octaves or notes in unison with each other, while the reeds of the longitudinal rows may be graduated to the regular chromatic scale. Each transverse row is furnished with a valve or pallet F, which is pressed down by a spring f attached to the rear of the box C, so as to close the openings of the whole row and prevent the entrance of the external air, which tends to rush into the separate chambers to fill the vacuity caused by the operation of the suction bellows. Each pallet is furnished with a rod 71 which passes through the box C, and rests on the inner end of one of the keys, so that on depressing the outer end of the latter', the pallet may be elevated and the whole of the openings of one transverse row of recesses exposed simultaneously.

At the end of the box, and in each independent wind chest is a valve z', opening upward and arranged to cover or expose the communication between each wind chest and the suction bellows, and each valve is controlled by an arm j, hung within and to the rear of the bellows, a projection l; from each arm passing through one of the openings in the platform A, so as to press against the under side of the valve z', when the arm j is raised by an attachment m, several of which, corresponding in number to the independent wind-chests, are situated in front of the instrument, at points easily reached by the performer.

Gr represents t-he exhausting bellows, which, in conjunction with the suction bellows B, serve', by the action of the latter, to maintain a uniform draft of air through such of the independent wind-chests as have their valves opened by their respective levers j.

It will now be seen that the performer can, by t-he simple adjustment of the attachments m and the depression of one key, cause either one of the transverse rows of reeds to sound, or two or more simultaneously, and that a variety may be produced in the quality of the tones, an ett'ect which cannot be attained when all the sets of reeds open into one chamber or bellows, as melodeons are now made, or when the sound is blown out into the air as in seraphines. One of the main advantages of this peculiar construction of independent wind-chests is, that it aifords every facility for producing a variety of tones, independent of the pitch of the notes, inasmuch as the chests may be made of such shapes and capacities, and lined with such materials, as to produce the quality of tone desired. Thus the Ipassage communicating with the reeds, from which I desire to obtain a flut-e tone, may be built of wood and lined with plush and cotton wool. For the trumpet tone the passage may be made larger and of metal. In other passages again, I cover the sides opposite the reeds with parchment, in order to produce al drum-like effect, and another passage I ll with piano wires, in order to obtain a continuous sound, and, as the sound must traverse the passages in contact with these objects, the desired quality ot sound is secured, the variety of the tones depending on the number and construction of the windchests with their corresponding reeds. These may be increased, without much addition to the size of the instrument or much complication of parts, inasmuch as the same action will serve as well for a transverse row of eight reeds as for one ot four, the simplicity of the stop machinery being such as to involve but little expense in adding to their number.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. The employment ot independent windchests in melodeons, harmoniums and other similar reed instruments, in combination with the suction bellows, for the purpose specified.

2. rlhe introduction of the stop valves between the independent wind-chests and the bellows, in combination with the appliances herein described, or their equivalents, for operating the said valves, when the said appliances are situated within the bellows, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

I. REHN.

l/Vitnesses HENRY HowsoN, HENRY ODroRNn. 

